Blending tragedy and hope: How a fashion shoot reflects life for Israelis

The Magazine’s photo shoot highlighted many of the things Israelis have been contending with since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Among these, it particularly highlighted the absurdity and the dissonance of the double lives we have been living.

For months, Israelis have been carrying on almost like normal – most going to work, caring for children, and continuing their studies, all while the fear felt for the hostages still held by Hamas, concern for loved ones fighting in the war, and grief over lost loved ones taint everything.

For some, life is less normal than for others, with many Israelis leading lives that look nothing like they did on October 6.

Bringing those impacted by Oct. 7 together for the photo shoot

The photo shoot for the Magazine brought together released hostages, survivors of the massacre at the Supernova music festival, first responders, reservists, and more, all to model for a photo session to highlight the impact of war on our lives and on how we dress. The war hung over every aspect of the day, even affecting scheduling, as many participants had to rush back to Tel Aviv for a rally marking 300 days of captivity for hostages; and fears of an attack on Israel were high in the wake of the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Everyone at the shoot was “carrying on” with normal life, but all living a normal life completely changed by the war.

In the beautiful Jerusalem apartment overlooking the Old City, where the models had their hair and makeup done, Noam Ben David, who survived the music festival but who lost her partner, David, whom she thought she would marry, put on a wedding dress made from an IDF uniform and donned a veil decorated with a Star of David surrounded by the names of all the soldiers who fell on Oct. 7.

It was a perfect reflection of the way the war has colored every aspect of our lives, casting a grotesque shadow over what would otherwise be a beautiful and joyful event.

The reflection was so accurate in part because despite the tragedy of the discordance embodied by her “wedding dress” and story, it was also a lot of fun to watch this beautiful woman get dressed up for a shoot and enjoy having her hair and makeup done.

Noam took part in this joy, saying she felt close to David throughout the day, and sharing her favorite parts of their love story and her journey to recovery.

She blended the joy and grief of her experience and recovery, telling stories about David and about trips she took after Oct. 7, laughing and sometimes crying during the shoot.

Another moment that highlighted the absurdity of Israelis’ current reality was when released hostages Meirav Tal and Yagil and Or Yaakov, who were freed in the November hostage deal, met Andrey Kozlov, freed in Operation Arnon in July, and his girlfriend, Jennifer.

Tal and the Yaakov brothers were excited to meet Kozlov, introducing themselves by excitedly explaining to him that they “were also hostages!”

Everyone present laughed; it was an absurd moment, made more absurd by Jennifer jokingly asking, “Well, how was it?” of Tal’s and the Yaakovs’ captivity.

Their joy, their joking around, their making light of being held hostage by Hamas were incredible to see. But like everything else in Israel these days, they were colored by the continued captivity of 115 hostages still held by Hamas as they modeled clothing and jewelry urging to bring the remaining hostages home now.

While the mood at the shoot was generally joyful, it was impossible to overlook the fact that some of the individuals involved were so recently freed from the nightmare of captivity. While it was not the main topic of conversation, their experiences in captivity were an undertone. Though they laughed and joked with staff, it was impossible to believe that their experiences as hostages have not stayed with them and affected them in ways unimaginable to those who have not experienced what they have.

THE QUESTIONS on many of our minds these days were at the forefront of the photo shoot. How has the war affected our lives? How do we keep living with the horrible realities of the war? Should we stop living our lives normally until the hostages come home? What would this look like?

And if we do “keep on living,” how do we do so without normalizing the fact that Hamas is holding hostages?

The photo shoot was a perfect example of all of this. Makeup and hair artists mingled with clothing designers; representatives from the Hostage and Missing Families Forum chatted with Magen David Adom first responders; volunteers handed out food and kept cold drinks ready for the models.

Life kept on going, the photographer kept on shooting, but everything was about the hostages, memories from Oct. 7 and the war abounded, and an undercurrent of fear of escalation was heard in the casual conversation of those present.

The shoot also heightened the feelings surrounding the question of how to keep living: Are we allowed to feel happy and lighthearted while war rages on? Is it okay to celebrate life’s events while people suffer so near to us? Is it enough to know that the hostages must come home, and are we allowed to feel joy while knowing that they haven’t yet? ■